Document Type: FAQ Product(s): MicroStation V8 2004 Edition and previous Version(s): All Original Author: Bentley Technical Support Group Legacy Document Number: 6219
Document Type: FAQ
Product(s): MicroStation V8 2004 Edition and previous
Version(s): All
Original Author: Bentley Technical Support Group
Legacy Document Number: 6219
Enhancements have been made in the way that objects can be linked or embedded. You can link and embed a document as a true picture (image) in MicroStation. Also, you can now specify a scale when you copy objects from the clipboard.The object now keeps more of its original characteristics; it is now brought into MicroStation as a cell that is scaleable and sizeable by using the element selection tool and using the handles.
The Excel limitation described in Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q111748 has been eliminated when using MicroStation version 08.00.04.01 or later and Excel 2002 of the Office XP suite. Large spread sheets have been successfully transferred from Excel to MicroStation on both Windows NT based operating systems and Windows 9x-based operating systems.
Please note that the MDL application that controls this functionality (olecntr.ma) is available starting in the 08.00.04.01 release.
Once the large spreadsheets are pasted into the design file they can be viewed entirely in releases prior to MicroStation v08.00.04.01. However, if you update the link while in any of the prior versions, the spreadsheet would then be truncated or clipped according to limitation mentioned previously.
If you paste data and the images do not look correct, it could depend on the type of metafile it is. There can be two formats of drawing commands in the Windows Clipboard at the same time. These formats are named "Windows Metafile" and "Enhances Metafile." Windows will automatically convert one format to the other. Occasionally, the conversion from "Windows Metafile" to "Enhances Metafile" produces an image that does not display properly. MicroStation can use either drawing format that is in the clipboard. Unfortunately, there is no way for MicroStation to determine which format was the original format and which was the synthesized format.
Consequently, you must tell MicroStation which format it should use when creating OLE objects from the Windows Clipboard. The MicroStation configuration variable MS_OLECNTR_CONFIG_ALLOWEMF specifies the format that MicroStation will use.
The general rule is that Excel 2002 of the Office XP suite (a.k.a. Office 10) produces complete large spread sheets in "Enhances Metafile" format. Prior versions of Microsoft Office and WordPerfect Office 2002 produce "Windows Metafile" and MS_OLECNTR_CONFIG_ALLOWEMF should be set to "0" (zero).
In the past when I copied and pasted into MicroStation, I would get a MicroStation text window that read "Font [font name] has not been imported. "Substituting [Active Font]". Will this occur in MicroStation V8?
No. In MicroStation V8, OLE objects are not converted to MicroStation elements, so no font importing is necessary.
This will use the DGN units information and the OLE object's size for scaling the OLE object's display. If you use metric units, the object's size is shown in centimeters. If you use English units, the object's size is shown in inches.
A linked object is a document that stores an image of the last known presentation of the object in the DGN file, but the application data remains in the original file with a link to the original file. In this respect, linking is analogous to MicroStation's Reference File commands. An embedded object is a document that is actually stored in your DGN file. To link or embed an object to a DGN file, both the source application and MicroStation must be installed on the same system.
When you want to include the same information in several different DGN files, you should probably use linking. If the source file is modified, you can instruct MicroStation to update the links in the active DGN model using the Update Links option on the Edit menu or by using the OLE UPDATE command.
When the information in the object pertains only to one DGN file, you can use embedding to edit an embedded object. Simply double-click on its image in any open view.
If the gridlines are turned on in Excel, the information also will appear in MicroStation. The gridlines can be turned off in Excel by choosing Tools > Options > View, and Turn Off Gridlines under the Window options. If you still see gridlines, the borders of the gridlines probably need to be turned off. They can be turned off by choosing Format > Cells > Border. In the Format Cells dialog you can turn borders to None. After selecting this button borders should disappear on all selected cells.
This is controlled by the document settings in the source application--Excel, for example. In Excel you can change the color of the background by first selecting the area in which you would like to change. Choose Format > Cells > Pattern. This is where you change the background to the desired color you wanted. Keep in mind that if you change the background color, you might have to change text and gridline colors accordingly so that they will display.
OLE objects are always grayed out when they are active (i.e. the other application is changing the object) so that you can tell that changes will be reflected in your DGN file. If you paste a linked object while the source application is still editing the linked file, it is automatically activated. When the linked file is closed by the source application, the image is updated and the gray-out appearance is removed.
Simply delete the element, just as any other MicroStation element type.
A device-independent bitmap (DIB) is a format used to define device-independent bitmaps in various color resolutions. The main purpose of DIBs is to allow bitmaps to be moved from one device to another (hence, the device-independent part of the name). Transferring color bitmaps from one device to another was not possible in versions of the Microsoft Windows graphical environment earlier than 3.0. With DIBs, each device displays the image to the ability of its color resolution. An application can store an image in the DIB format and then display it, regardless of the output device; an application need no longer create a version of each image for each type of device.
The object becomes a Type 6 shape in the design file. All graphics that were associated with the object are now gone and in most cases you can just delete the shape.
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